They’re Not Watching TV Anymore”: How Gen Z Is Silently Killing Traditional Advertising
“They’re Not Watching TV Anymore”: The Hidden Marketing Revolution Gen Z Doesn’t Want You to Know About
There’s a silent revolution happening in Poland—and your brand might already be losing the next generation without even knowing it.
They don’t read newspapers. They’re not watching TV. Radio? Never heard of it.
Generation Z—the digital natives born between 1997 and 2012—are rewriting the rules of consumer behavior, and if your marketing strategy hasn’t caught up yet, you may already be irrelevant.
A jaw-dropping new study published in the International Journal of Economic Policy in Emerging Economies has revealed a truth that many marketers are still ignoring: mobile marketing is no longer optional—it’s everything.
📉 The Collapse of Traditional Advertising
According to researchers Bogdan Mróz (Warsaw School of Economics SGH) and Barbara Grabiwoda (Publicis Commerce Poland), traditional media has quietly become invisible to Gen Z.
“Many Gen Z individuals may never see or hear anything from traditional media.”
That’s not a prediction. That’s a fact. And the consequences are massive.
🚨 Mobile Devices: The New Brain Extension
For Gen Z, mobile devices are more than tools—they’re extensions of their identity. They’ve never lived in a world without them. Every swipe, scroll, and tap shapes how they think, communicate, and yes—spend.
- Over 50% engage actively with mobile marketing content.
- The more branded content they see on mobile, the more positively they feel about those brands.
Traditional ads? Ignored. But social media posts? Trusted.
🧠 Physical World? Digital World? What’s the Difference?
Gen Z lives in a reality where online and offline are blurred. The platforms that entertain them also shape their shopping lists. Social media isn’t just for likes—it’s where buying decisions happen.
So when a brand shows up in their feed in a way that feels real, relatable, and relevant? That brand wins.
💼 The Urgent Message to Businesses
If you’re still pouring budget into print, TV, or radio, stop.
This isn’t a trend. It’s a tectonic shift.
To survive, brands must ditch the old playbook and meet Gen Z where they are—on mobile, on social, and in sync with their digital rhythm. The brands that do will become household names. The ones that don’t?
They’ll vanish.
The verdict is in. Gen Z is calling the shots—and if your business isn’t showing up on their screen, it’s already out of sight… and soon, out of mind.
